Clamping device



July 21, l 931 J. M. WILLARD 1,815,386

CLAMPING DEVICE Filed March 19. 1930 I n z: #10 4 MR CW 7 Patented July21, 1931 PAT NT- OFFICE JOHN MELVILLE WILLARD, OF LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA CLAMPING DEVICE Application filed March 19, 1930. Serial No.437,019.

This invention relates to an adjustable clamp and more especially to aclamp adapted to be employed on tie rods for the retention of moulds orforms in which concrete or other cementitious material is to be poured.One ofthe' particular objects of this invention is to disclose andprovide a clamp of extremely simple construction which may be adjusted,positioned and released without employing special devices.

Another object ofthis invention is to dis close and provide a clampingdevice which may be adjustably positioned along a rod by the applicationof light blows directed upon 51a wedge slidably held by said device andupon the device itself alternately, and which may be released fromgripping contact on a rod by blows applied to the device itself.-

In describing the invention, reference will be had to the appendeddrawings which illustrate one preferred form of the device. It is to beunderstood that the device shown in the attached drawings is merelyillustrative of the general construction and mode of operation of thedevice, and that the invention is not limited to the specific form thereshown, but instead embraces all such changes and modifications as comewithin the skill of the art. y

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse section through wall forms adapted'to receive andretain'acementitious material during pouring and setting of r saidmaterial, said forms being held together 0 by means of a tie rod'andclamping device of this invention.

Fig.2 is a plan view of the clamping device. v

Fig. l 3 is a longitudinal section taken through the device illustratedin Fig; 2, along:

the plane 33.

Fig. 4 isa transverse section taken through the device illustrated inFig. 2, the said'sec-.

' tion being taken along the plane 4.4;.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a serrate face used on the wedge memberemployed in the device.

Fig. 6 is a modified formof wedge.

7' is a diagrammatic representation showing the adaptation of theclamping de vice to a hanger or sofiit clamp.

As shown in Fig. 1, the sheathing 1 mayv be held together in the form ofpanels by suitable apertures in the sheathing, said tie;

rods preferably passing between wales 5 ex: tending transversely to the2. The tie rod 4 is then placed under tension by means of theclampingdevice 6 longitudinally m0vable on the tie rod 4 and adjustablypositioned,

thereon.

It will be seen that if motion toward the sheathing is permitted,whereas the motion of the clamping devices 6 away from the sheathing isprevented, the wales 5: and ribs 2 will be placed in compression, whilethe tie rod 4.- will be placed in tension. Qne of the main objects ofthis invention is to dis close and provide a clamping device which willbe readily adjustable along a tie rod and not necessitate the use ofspecial equipment or tools in moving the clamping devices towards thesheathing or form and positioning said devices at a proper point on thetie rods.

Furthermore, as stated hereinabove, an ob;

ject of this invention is to disclose a clamp: ing device which may bereadily caused'to re-. lease its grip on the tie rod, as for example,

7 when it is desired to remqve the forms and sheathing.

The clamping device (shown in more de+ tail in Figs. 2 to 4) maycomprise a body portion 7. The body'portion 7 is preferably providedwith a bearing surface? 8 and,

with an aperture 9 extending through the body portion 7 substantially atright angles to the plane. of the bearing surface 8,. The. opening oraperture 9 extending;- through the body portion 7' is preferably adaptedto slidably receive a tie rod 1:. It is tobe understOQd a he tie rod 4may 9 0 any desired sha eor size, nd will vary with the use i w p. saidtie rod is h put The tie rods 4 may be cylindrical, octagonal orrectangular in shape, for example.

A recess 10 may be provided in the bearing surface 8 of the body portion7, the opening 9 opening into said recess. The purpose of said recesswill be described hereinafter. A footing 11 may extend from the bodyportion 7 contiguous with that portion of the body 7 which contains theaperture or open ing 9 adapted to receive the tie rod, therebyincreasing the area of the bearing surface 8 at or about the pointthrough which the tie rod 4 will protrude from the body portion, by thearea 8 of such footing.

A longitudinal slot 12 is formed in the body portion 7, said slotleading away from the opening 9 and away from the bearing surface 8.Said slot is preferably provided with a wall 18 away from the opening 9,said wall 13 being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the opening 9and preferably making an angle of less than ninety degrees with theplane of the bearing surface 8.

A wedge 14 is slidably received in the slot 12 formed in the bodyportion 7, said wedge 7 having its apex directed toward the bearingsurface 8, the faces of said wedge being at an angle complementary tothe angle of the wall 13 of the slot. Preferably, one of the faces ofthe wedge 14, such as for example, the face 15 is serrated, saidserrations being adapted to grip a tie rod in the opening 9 so as toprevent the movement of the tie rod 4 toward the bearing surface 8. Theserrations may be inclined to the plane of the wedge 14 as indicated inFig. 5, thereby imparting a'shearing grip or bite to the wedge into thetie rod.

The serrated face 15 may be concave if the tie rod 4 is cylindrical, orsaid face may be plane. The wedge 14 is of a size sufficient to permitits upper portion to extend beyond the body portion 7 when it is inoperative engagement with a tie rod in the opening 9.

In order to permit the wedge to be movable in the slot 12 butirremovably held therein the wedge 14 may be provided with a slot 16.The slot 16 may be parallel to the wall 13 of the slot 12. A pin 17 maypass through the body portion 7 transversely to the slot 12, said slotbeing adapted to cooperate with the slot 16, thereby preventing thecomplete removal of the wedge 14 from the device.

An opening 18 may be provided in the wall of the body portion 7, saidopening leading into the recess 10 ata point beneath the wedge 14. Asshown in the drawings, the opening 18 forms a groove in the bearingsurface 8.

In employing this device, the tie rod 4 is passedthrough the sheathingand the clamp ing devices slipped upon the protruding ends of the rod 4,the rods 4 passing through the openings 9 inthe body portion 7 of thedevice. The bearing surfaces 8 preferably face the sheathing, wales,ribs or other portion of the mould in which the cementitious material isto be poured.

In order to force the sheathing together, as for example the sheathing 1shown in Fig. 1, the protruding portion of the wedge 14 is then lightlytapped with a hammer alternating with light taps on the upper portion ofthe body 7. It will be found that the body portion 7 may be advancedalong the tie rod 4 by such blows, but will not return to its orig inalposition, as the serrated edge of the wedge will bite into the tie rod4, thereby positioning the body portion 7 on the tie rod. Inasmuch asthe teeth on the surface 15 of the wedge point outwardly, that is, awayfrom the sheathing, a blow on the wedge will cause said teeth to slideupon the rod in one direction only. In this manner the sheathing may becompressed and the tie rod 4 placed under tension very readily and heldin this position firmly because of the grip of the wedge against the tierod, and the expansive force of the sheathing against the bearingsurface, which in turn is transmitted to the wedge by the wall 13.

If it is desired to release the device from the tie rod (as for exampleafter the cementitious material within the sheathing has been poured andset), it is only necessary to strike the body portion 7 of the device asharp blow, for example, at the point indicated at 19. A blow struck at19 upon the body portion 7 will cause the bearing surface 8 to pressinto the sheathing to a very minute extent, but sufficiently so that thepressure on the wedge 14 is released by the minor movement of the wall13 away from said wedge. 1

The release of pressure along the wall 13 causes the wedge to fly outand release its grip on the tie rod 4, thereby permitting the entirebody portion 7 to move away from the sheathing along the tie rod 4. Ifby any manner the wedge 14 becomes ammed or locked into the rod 4, thenan instrument such as a drift or punch may be introduced through theopening 18 in the body portion 7, thereby permitting leverage to beexerted upon the wedge simultaneously with a blow applied to the bodyportion 7 and thus cause the wedge 14 to loosen in the body portion 7.

In order to facilitate the removal of the wedge from the opening 12 inthe body portion 7, the wedge may be provided with a lug 20, as shown inFig. 6. Leverage may be applied in any suitable manner to the wedge bymeans of the lug and thus remove the wedge from engagement with the rod,such removal being in all instances greatly facilitated by theapplication of blows to the body portion 7. 7

It is to be understood that the device embodied in this invention is notlimited to the use described hereinabove. For example, the clampingdevices may be employed as illustrated in Fig. 7, where one continuoustie rod 4 bent into the form of a hanger over an I-beam or ceiling beam21 carries two of the clamping devices 6. The ends of the hanger 4 passthrough a suitable bottom portion 22 of the falsework and between ribsor walls 23. Similarly, the device may be employed wherever it isdesired to retain forms in position, as for example, around girders,pillasters, and the like or whenever it is desired to support members orunits by means of a tie rod.

The recess 10 formed in the bearing surface 8 is not essential, but itpermits a certain amount of shifting or adjustment to take place betweenthe body portion 7 of the device and the tie rod 4:.

It will thus be seen that an adjustable clamp has been provided whichmay be employed at any position upon a rod, and is not limited to useupon a particular portion thereof. The clamping device is readilyinstalled and is self-locking in character, that is, it will grip therod whenever a sufficient tension exists in the rod 4: to cause thewedge 14 to 0p eratively engage with the rod. Furthermore, the clampingdevice may be readily caused to release its grip on the rod withoutnecessitating the use of any instrumentalities not normally found on anyconstruction ob As has been stated before, the invention is not limitedto the specific construction described hereinabove, but includes allsuch changes and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a clamping device, the combination of a tie rod and a clampingdevice longitudinally adjustable thereon, said clamping devicecomprising a body portion provided with an opening adapted to slidablyreceive a rod, a slot in said body portion leading away from saidopening, and a wedge slidably but irremovably retained in said slot andextending beyond said body portion in one direction only, retainingmeans for holding said wedge in said body portion and preventing saidwedge from projecting beyond said body portion in one direction, saidwedge being provided with teeth adapted to grip said rod and normallyprevent motion of said clamping device in one direction, but permittingmotion of the device on said rod in another direction.

2. A clamping device comprising a body portion provided with a bearingsurface, an opening extending through said body portion at right anglesto the plane of said bearing surface, a slot in said body portionleading off from said opening, the wall of said slot away from saidopening being at an angle of less than to the plane of said bearingsurface, and a wedge provided with one serrated edge slidably receivedbut irremovably retained in said slot and adapted to grip and positionsaid body portion upon a rod slidably;- received in said opening, saidwedge extendingbeyond said body portion in one dia rection ,onlygandretainingjmeans, for irre-o movably holding said wedgein 'said body:portion and preventing saidwedge, from proj ectingbeyond said bearingsurface of said body portion.

3.-Af clamping device comprising a body portion provided with a bearingsurface, an opening extending through said body portion at right anglesto the plane of said bearing surface, a slot, in, said vbody portionleading off from said opening and' away from said bearing surface, saidslot being provided with a wall inclined to the longitudinal axis ofsaid opening, a serrated wedge slidably received in saidslot andextending beyond said body portion, and meansfforirremovably retainingsaid wedge in said slot and: preventing said wedge from projectingbeyond said body portion and bearing surface thereof.

4. A clamping devicecomprising a body portion provided with a bearingsurface, an openingexten ding through said body portion at right anglesto the plane of said bearing surface, alslot in said'body portionleading off from said opening and away from said. bearing surface, saidslot being provided with a wall inclined to the longitudinal axis ofsaidfopening, a serrated wedge/slidably received in said slot andextending beyond said body portion away from said bearing surface, andmeans for irremovably retaining said wedge in said slot, said meansincluding a slot in said wedge and a pin carried by said body portionand cooperating with said wedge slot to prevent said wedge fromprojecting beyond said bearing surface of said body thereof.

5. A clamping device comprising a body portion provided with a bearingsurface, a

recess in said bearing surface, an opening through said body portioninto said recess, the longitudinal axis of said opening being at rightangles to the plane of said bearing surface, said opening being adaptedto receive a tie rod, a slot through said body portion and into saidrecess, said slot leading away from said opening and provided with awall inclined from said bearing surface, a wedge slidably received insaid slot, said wedge being adapted to operatively grip a rod in saidopening, and a second opening in the wall of said body portion leadingto said recess, said second opening being substantially transverse tosaid wedge slot.

6. A clamping device comprising a body portion provided with a bearingsurface, a recess in said bearing surface, an opening through said bodyportion into said recess, the longitudinal axis of said opening being atright angles to the plane of said bearing surface, said opening beingadapted to receive a tie rod, a slot through said body portion and intosaid recess, said slot leading away from said opening and provided witha Wall at an angle to said bearing surface, a wedge slidably received insaid slot, said wedge being adapted to operatively grip a rod in saidopening, and a slot in the bearing surface leading to said recess.

7. A clamping device comprising a body portion provided with a bearingsurface, an 10 opening extending through said body portion at rightangles to the plane of said bearing surface and adapted to slidablyreceive a rod, a slot in said body portion leading off from saidopening, said slot being narrower than said opening, the wall of saidslot away from said opening being inclined to the plane of said bearingsurface, a wedge slidably received in said slot, said wedge beingadapted to grip and position said body portion upon a rod slidablyreceived in said opening, said wedge extending beyond said body portionaway from said bearing surface, retaining means for irremovably holdingsaid wedge in said body portion and preventing said wedge fromprojecting beyond said body portion'and bearing surface thereof, and alug carried by said wedge beyond said body portion.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 31st day of January, 1930.

JOHN MELVILLE WILLARD.

